That's the general idea. It's supposed to suck harder than your mom at a frat party.

It's part of the deal that was struck in August 2011 that would have required Congress to come up with a deal to avoid it by 1 Jan of this year (and that date was punted to 1 Mar), with the plan being that they would come up with a deal in order to avoid the sequester in much the same way one would avoid driving off the Grand Canyon by not driving anywhere in the state of Arizona.

Unfortunately, this meant that the Republicans would have had to agree with president Obama on something less mundane than hamburger toppings, so they deliberately and maliciously drove the country off of a cliff just because they hate the guy who said they shouldn't more than they love America.

King Something:That's the general idea. It's supposed to suck harder than your mom at a frat party.

It's part of the deal that was struck in August 2011 that would have required Congress to come up with a deal to avoid it by 1 Jan of this year (and that date was punted to 1 Mar), with the plan being that they would come up with a deal in order to avoid the sequester in much the same way one would avoid driving off the Grand Canyon by not driving anywhere in the state of Arizona.

Unfortunately, this meant that the Republicans would have had to agree with president Obama on something less mundane than hamburger toppings, so they deliberately and maliciously drove the country off of a cliff just because they hate the guy who said they shouldn't more than they love America.

It is punishment for his reelection.

Conservatives feel that their ideology is fading. Like a crazed animal it is fighting back desperately.

It is my opinion that things have become so unbalanced that a new equilibrium must be formed. In order for a new equilibrium to be made a catastrophic even must happen. I dont think anything besides a civil war will set this new equilibrium.

cman:King Something: That's the general idea. It's supposed to suck harder than your mom at a frat party.

It's part of the deal that was struck in August 2011 that would have required Congress to come up with a deal to avoid it by 1 Jan of this year (and that date was punted to 1 Mar), with the plan being that they would come up with a deal in order to avoid the sequester in much the same way one would avoid driving off the Grand Canyon by not driving anywhere in the state of Arizona.

Unfortunately, this meant that the Republicans would have had to agree with president Obama on something less mundane than hamburger toppings, so they deliberately and maliciously drove the country off of a cliff just because they hate the guy who said they shouldn't more than they love America.

It is punishment for his reelection.

Conservatives feel that their ideology is fading. Like a crazed animal it is fighting back desperately.

It is my opinion that things have become so unbalanced that a new equilibrium must be formed. In order for a new equilibrium to be made a catastrophic even must happen. I dont think anything besides a civil war will set this new equilibrium.

A speaker at the CPAC stated he felt that all the party needed was a charismatic leader to win the White House and the GOP would be fine. I don't have an answer. I wish I had some insight into this. These 2 parties have survived in the past by shifting and evolving. The GOP seem bent on not doing this- but they are showing signs of change.

cman:Conservatives feel that their ideology is fading. Like a crazed animal it is fighting back desperately.

That's what I've been saying for this past week (and been hounded for it. Seriously? I'm a Fark Independent? Really?)

The GOP has 2 things left in the budget fight to defend: Tax cuts/levels and defense. That's it. Democrats have just about everything else. Both sides have more or less agreed to defense cuts (Paul Ryan's special math notwithstanding) so that leaves the tax cuts/revenues debate. Which is pissing off the Teapartiers because they need something to get pissy about and the establishment GOP because they've got nothing left.

I am glad to hear that Boehner is coming around though. I think we may have a shot of some deal (albeit mediocre) if he stops listening to Cantor

Who are these idiotic 30-40+% of people who don't think cutting money from a program will hurt its ability to function? I mean, you can be against the goal of the program, that's fine. But even then, you have to admit it can do more with more money. What is there to even argue about on that?

How are we ever going to fix our political system when these idiots are voting?

Who thinks it bites? Ryan included the sequester in his budget, he loves it so much.

Did I say he kept it? I meant he changed it to be even more nightmarish.

He keeps the sequester -- a $1 trillion guillotine to non-defense and defense spending. But his breakdown of spending pushes virtually all of those cuts into non-defense categories. In other words, everything in our discretionary budget -- scientific research, housing, international relations, education, public safety, public health, environmental protection, job training -- doesn't just get a sequester. It gets a double-sequester! Plus another $250 billion in cuts, under the Ryan budget. Win the future.

Emposter:Who are these idiotic 30-40+% of people who don't think cutting money from a program will hurt its ability to function? I mean, you can be against the goal of the program, that's fine. But even then, you have to admit it can do more with more money. What is there to even argue about on that?

How are we ever going to fix our political system when these idiots are voting?

Because it accomplishes their goal.

If you dont like a program there is a good chance that you will never get enough backers to remove it. However, it is rather easy cutting budgets. When the budgets are cut, the programs fail, and those in Washington can hold it up saying that it isnt worth the money because it aint doing anything.

Conservatives feel that their ideology is fading. Like a crazed animal it is fighting back desperately.

The big problem is that the GOP has been steadily moving right for the past several decades, and it's been dragging the "center" and the Democrats with it. Now the GOP finds itself in a position where if they move anywhere closer to "center", they'll be further left than the Democrats. So they've got no where to go.

Soup4Bonnie:Who thinks it bites? Ryan included the sequester in his budget, he loves it so much.Did I say he kept it? I meant he changed it to be even more nightmarish.

He keeps the sequester -- a $1 trillion guillotine to non-defense and defense spending. But his breakdown of spending pushes virtually all of those cuts into non-defense categories. In other words, everything in our discretionary budget -- scientific research, housing, international relations, education, public safety, public health, environmental protection, job training -- doesn't just get a sequester. It gets a double-sequester! Plus another $250 billion in cuts, under the Ryan budget. Win the future.

Ryan isn't an idiot (he just plays one on TV). He knows his budget won't pass...which is why it's such a great opportunity to beef up his "conservative" rep with the wingnut voter base by proposing insane nonsense when he knows no one will call his bluff.

cman:Emposter: Who are these idiotic 30-40+% of people who don't think cutting money from a program will hurt its ability to function? I mean, you can be against the goal of the program, that's fine. But even then, you have to admit it can do more with more money. What is there to even argue about on that?

How are we ever going to fix our political system when these idiots are voting?

Because it accomplishes their goal.

If you dont like a program there is a good chance that you will never get enough backers to remove it. However, it is rather easy cutting budgets. When the budgets are cut, the programs fail, and those in Washington can hold it up saying that it isnt worth the money because it aint doing anything.

It explained the mechanism with which conservatives are trying to shut down popular programs (especially those that help poor people). They can't come out and SAY they're against poor mothers getting money to feed their kids, because they're too cowardly. So instead they just defund everything and blame it on Obama.

HMS_Blinkin:Emposter: Not sure what any of that has to do with my post.

It explained the mechanism with which conservatives are trying to shut down popular programs (especially those that help poor people). They can't come out and SAY they're against poor mothers getting money to feed their kids, because they're too cowardly. So instead they just defund everything and blame it on Obama.

Yes, I'm well aware of that, but it still has nothing to do with my post.

Remember a few weeks ago when GOP talking heads were running around claiming Obama was gloom-and-dooming the effects of the sequester? "He's just doing it for politics", they pretty much said. So now the effects are being felt... and guess what? They suck. And it's only a couple weeks into the sequester. Just wait...

Aquapope:Remember a few weeks ago when GOP talking heads were running around claiming Obama was gloom-and-dooming the effects of the sequester? "He's just doing it for politics", they pretty much said. So now the effects are being felt... and guess what? They suck. And it's only a couple weeks into the sequester. Just wait...

I liked the fark independents who came along on the first day after the bill was signed, saying, See?! No big deal!

This is exactly how conservatives and other self-centered people think. It's precisely why Senator Rob Portman suddenly started supporting gay rights -- only because his son came out as gay -- and why he's being eaten alive by his fellow conservatives.

Genevieve Marie:My best friend, who is a veteran and now in the national guard, is 20 hours away from finishing his degree. He'd be the first person in his family to graduate college.

He was just informed that his educational benefits are being cut as part of the sequester and that he'll be unable to attend school next semester if this isn't remedied.

Personal anecdote of just how much this sucks and just how many people this is hurting for no goddamn reason.

If he is a veteran of the armed forces, he can still use his GI bill benefits to take classes. What has been cut is Tuition Assistance programs. The TA programs are not a Veteran Affairs entitlement, rather the funds come from the respective services operating budget.

The Marine Corps was the first to cut funding fort Tuition Assistance when the sequestration hit, but the Army and apparently now the national guard have as well. It sucks (as somone who has used $7,000 worth of TA funding over the course of my enlistment) but if it is a choice between buying ammunition and fuel for training, or funding TA, it makes sense that it will have to go as one of the first cuts.

This does not take away from how stupid and shortsighted the sequestration is, I just figured I should clarify since I have had to explain this to a number of highly beligerent Marines. (none of whom actually ever used it)

I work with quite a few federal workers. Many of them are in on saturday and sunday trying to keep up with their workloads. Many of them have recieved letters informing them that they will be required to stay home during workdays later on this year. Their work is the kind that does not change based on the number of people available to do it. There is going to be a net decrease in national security because of the sequestration.

The WindowLicker:If he is a veteran of the armed forces, he can still use his GI bill benefits to take classes. What has been cut is Tuition Assistance programs. The TA programs are not a Veteran Affairs entitlement, rather the funds come from the respective services operating budget

His GI Bill Benefits paid for a certain number of semesters, and that runs out after this semester. After that, he was planning to finish his final semester using the tuition assistance program through the national guard.

He's been working and doing his national guard duties for the last few years as a full time student, so he had to take fewer hours than he would have liked a for a few semesters.

And what they discovered was that the president, in his 2013 budget, had proposed to cut $58 million from the program. The administration claimed that the money could be saved through greater efficiencies and would not involve any reductions in vaccinations. "

cman:King Something: That's the general idea. It's supposed to suck harder than your mom at a frat party.

It's part of the deal that was struck in August 2011 that would have required Congress to come up with a deal to avoid it by 1 Jan of this year (and that date was punted to 1 Mar), with the plan being that they would come up with a deal in order to avoid the sequester in much the same way one would avoid driving off the Grand Canyon by not driving anywhere in the state of Arizona.

Unfortunately, this meant that the Republicans would have had to agree with president Obama on something less mundane than hamburger toppings, so they deliberately and maliciously drove the country off of a cliff just because they hate the guy who said they shouldn't more than they love America.

It is punishment for his reelection.

Conservatives feel that their ideology is fading. Like a crazed animal it is fighting back desperately.

It is my opinion that things have become so unbalanced that a new equilibrium must be formed. In order for a new equilibrium to be made a catastrophic even must happen. I dont think anything besides a civil war will set this new equilibrium.

To quote Hank McCoy: "I feel for you, Dr. Pym, the dinosaur could not see the meteor coming."

Conservatives feel that their ideology is fading. Like a crazed animal it is fighting back desperately.

The big problem is that the GOP has been steadily moving right for the past several decades, and it's been dragging the "center" and the Democrats with it. Now the GOP finds itself in a position where if they move anywhere closer to "center", they'll be further left than the Democrats. So they've got no where to go.

Genevieve Marie:His GI Bill Benefits paid for a certain number of semesters, and that runs out after this semester. After that, he was planning to finish his final semester using the tuition assistance program through the national guard.

He's been working and doing his national guard duties for the last few years as a full time student, so he had to take fewer hours than he would have liked a for a few semesters.

Ouch, that is a truly unfortunate situation. They took our TA away last year for about 3 weeks before pushback caused it to be re-funded, so this was not a huge shock to us, but I am guessing this blindsided your friend. (Your friend is also a perfect example of why it is a really bad ideato use your GI bill for less than a full courseload.)

The mistake was assuming that the republicans give a flying crap if the country slides down the toilet or not. They've been diligently working to wreck the USA since Reagan was President. A sequester only put their nation-wrecking onto the fast track.

The WindowLicker:Genevieve Marie: His GI Bill Benefits paid for a certain number of semesters, and that runs out after this semester. After that, he was planning to finish his final semester using the tuition assistance program through the national guard.

He's been working and doing his national guard duties for the last few years as a full time student, so he had to take fewer hours than he would have liked a for a few semesters.

Ouch, that is a truly unfortunate situation. They took our TA away last year for about 3 weeks before pushback caused it to be re-funded, so this was not a huge shock to us, but I am guessing this blindsided your friend. (Your friend is also a perfect example of why it is a really bad ideato use your GI bill for less than a full courseload.)

He actually did take full time hours the entire time, but right at full time and not above it. He also switched majors at one point, which added one semester to the time it was going to take him to graduate, which is pretty standard for a lot of college students.

It just sucks. All around sucks. He's been working his ass off for the last four years genuinely trying to pull off this bootstraps thing, and right now that effort is being derailed by jackass political shenanigans.

Unemployment would be down around 6.8% if it weren't for public sector job losses due to the economic collapse. but hey Wall st is doing just fine. The top 01% is doing better than ever. So suck it pleebs and pay our bills while we live large.